The CTL response was characterized during primary SIV/macaque (SIVmac) infection of rhesus monkeys to assess its role in containing early viral replication using both an epitope-specific functional and an MHC class I/peptide tetramer-binding assay. The rapid expansion of a single dominant viral epitope-specific CTL population to 1.3-8.3% of circulating CD8+ peripheral blood and 0. 3-1.3% of lymph node CD8+ T cells was observed, peaking at day 13 following infection. A subsequent decrease in number of these cells was then demonstrated. Interestingly, the percent of tetramer-binding CD8+ T cells detected in the lymph nodes of all evaluated animals was smaller than the percent detected in PBL. These epitope-specific CD8+ T cells expressed cell surface molecules associated with memory and activation. Early clearance of SIVmac occurred coincident with the emergence of the CTL response, suggesting that CTL may be important in containing virus replication. A higher percent of annexin V-binding cells was detected in the tetramer+ CD8+ T cells (range, from 33% to 75%) than in the remaining CD8+ T cells (range, from 3.3% to 15%) at the time of maximum CTL expansion in all evaluated animals. This finding indicates that the decrease of CTL occurred as a result of the death of these cells rather than their anatomic redistribution. These studies provide strong evidence for the importance of CTL in containing AIDS virus replication.